The short coupling is attached between two rail vehicles (1) which have buffer plates (2) on the end sides facing one another. Each rail vehicle (1) has two links (3). The links (3) are connected to one another at one end at the coupling point (K) and to the links of the adjacent rail vehicle. At the other end, the links (3) are guided in the connecting member (41) of a coupling carrier plate (4), which is attached rigidly to the rail vehicle, and in a further connecting member (51) which is provided in a control plate (5) which is swivellably mounted in the longitudinal central axis (M). <IMAGE>
